Israel foreign minister resigns

Israeli Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman has resigned after prosecutors decided to charge him with breach of trust.

Mr. Lieberman has also resigned as deputy prime minister, and said he would fight to clear his name of the charges.

BBC says the case against him relates to a financial scandal dating back more than a decade.

His resignation comes five weeks before Israel’s general election.

“Though I know I committed no crime… I have decided to resign my post as foreign minister and deputy prime minister,” Mr. Lieberman said in a statement released by his office.

He also said he would waive his parliamentary immunity and suggested he hoped to settle the case before the elections, due on January 22, allowing him to stand as a candidate as planned.

“I am doing this because I am convinced that Israel’s citizens should be able to go to the polls after this matter has been settled… and I can continue to serve the state of Israel and Israel’s citizens as part of a strong united leadership,” Mr. Lieberman said in the statement.

Mr. Lieberman is the leader of Yisrael Beitenu, the second largest party in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud-led coalition government.

Can this type of thing ever happen in Nigeria? Even when they were found guilty they still want to find a way of sitting tight in office. Look at serving minister and deputy prime minister giving away his immunity to pave way for corruption investigation against him and speaking authoritatively that he will be exonorated of the alledgations. How many serving Nigerian leaders who can do this? All they are interested in is to circumvent justis. God for give Nigerians for their sinners.

Safari Man

How I wish this kind of honourable and principled decision to resign from public positions when any holder of such positions is involved in a scandal is imbibed by our public servants and politicians.